Lexington, North Carolina's Triple-Certified Master Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and National Spokesman for the American Council on Exercise, shares his years of professional fitness experience with those folks who are: (1)New (or returning) to the Health and Fitness World, (2)Overcoming Health Issues and Physical Challenges (including structural issues), or (3) Desiring a Personalized Health and Fitness program designed for adults over 30 years of age.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

LifeStyle Fitness Today

by

Bobby Morrow

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist

The "Corrective Exercise Specialist" studies I've been working on have been intense...but very exciting!

I've learned so much more than the "usual" anatomy, kinesiology, and bio-mechanics of Personal Training. I've actually learned how it is all tied together and how one malalignment (structural challenge) can set off a list of ailments along the kinetic chain.

What this means is that just because you are feeling discomfort in your low-back, for instance, doesn't mean that's where

it's actually originating. It could actually be starting in your feet, or even in your shoulders! Really fascinating stuff!!

So to pass on some info that may be helpful right away, let's talk about shoes (feet actually).

I'm as guilty (if not more so) as anyone for purchasing my footwear based primarily on looks and style, and also on the (false) idea that they

are what I "should" be wearing. I usually choose "running" shoes, and very seldom do any actual running. If you'll look at the examples below, most "running shoes" are built with a "high" heel which is designed to help absorb the extra impact of running...and is quite obvious once you look at them.

What is not so obvious is that most of the more popular (and expensive) brands also have a higher raised arch, again to help absorb the impact of running.

Wearing those shoes when not running, can place our feet in a rolled out position (supinated), and along with the raised heel which shortens the calf muscleand restricts dorsiflexion (which is our ability to lift our toes to push off when walking) , puts us more at risk for ankle injury (due to tension on the calf, and Achilles tendon, etc while tilted outward)...and even more amazingly places us in a position for knee,

hip, low-back, neck, and even shoulder issues!!

Pronated (rolled in) Normal Supinated (rolled out)

If you are experiencing any symptoms (chronic pain, or long-term soreness) in any of the areas listed above, a good place to start looking could

be at the shoes you wear (your feet)...a chat with your foot doctor,

or Orthopedic Surgeon may be in order.

Statistics tell us that the majority of folks actually have feet that are

throws the knee inward and out of alignment, then the hip, low-back, etc.So, when changing to a lower heeled shoe to take care of the shortenedcalf muscles, you may also need to check with your foot Doctor or OrthopedicSurgeon to receive custom orthotics (arch supports) to support your arches.

I've shown some alternative shoe choices below with less of a raised heel or raise arch, including "cross-trainers",

"tennis shoes" and even "skateboard shoes"...and trust me there are many "stylish" choices out there!

I'm excited about being able to help folks find some relief from

chronic structural issues as well getting fit, trim, and healthy!

If I can be of any help to you, just let me know...and remember

a free consultation is still available!

Continued Health, Fitness, and Pain-Free LifeStyle...

BobbyM

(336)425-9755

Below are some typical "Running Shoes"

(check out the "heels" on them):

Next are some "Cross-training" Shoes

(be careful though, many have high heels also):

Now, your basic "tennis shoe":

And even "skateboard style shoes" have much less heelwith the sole being even from heel to toe:

Here's a link you may find helpful on picking the best footwear for you:

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I know most every one of you have heard at one time or another that 70%-75% of ALL Americans are either overweight or obese!AND that being overweight or obese dramatically increases your risks for having or getting health concerns like Heart Disease, Stroke, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, many forms of Cancer, structural (orthopedic) issues like hip and knee problems, makes you more vulnerable to allergies, the common cold,sleep issues including sleep apnea, clogged arteries, osteoarthritis, gall bladder disease, and numerous other "every day" aches, pains, and problems!

Obviously ("if common sense really was common, we wouldn't have so much dumb stuff to deal with!"), it still has not sunk in that if you reduce the "cause" of so much of our health care overloads (being overweight or obese), you could also reduce the cost of such expensive health care personally and globally!

I realize that there are always going to be health issues to deal with in our lives, that's part of life; and having adequate coverage to help when we have accidents, or health issues stemming from our family history, etc. is of course something we should have. But to overload the Health Care System with problems that are within our power to eliminate or at least reduce, is the ultimate in a lack of Personal Responsibility!

Sure, breaking those old (deadly) habits can be challenging...but so is having a heart attack, a stroke, or living with all the other problems that come with NOT choosing to change!

CHANGE IS POSSIBLE...I KNOW!

I've been there!

If you are finally ready to make some real changes in your life

but don't know what to do or where to even start...get a book,

google "get healthy", talk to a friend or relative who is already

doing what you want to accomplish, find a Personal Trainer to help you figure it

all out...you will probably be totally surprised at how inexpensive it is to do it right

from the beginning (probably less than you currently spend on ONE months' Health Insurance Premiums!)

However you decide to do it...GET OFF YOUR BUTT, START MOVING AND

MAKING HEALTHIER/WISER CHOICES IN WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH!

You will be totally amazed at how much better you feel physically, AND emotionally, by

Friday, April 16, 2010

No matter who you are, if you currently do not have exactly what you want in your life (and that includes the "ideal" body, level of Fitness, and/or Healthy LifeStyle)...there is a really strong chance you have a "voice" (or a bucket-load of them) in your head telling you that you "can't"! (Sound familiar?)

Until you can quiet that "voice" you will be fighting an up-hill battle to reach your goals.

I have found a tool that works for me (and hundreds of thousands of other folks from all walks of life), and is so simple it has taken me 2 years to master (smile)! The tool is called "The Sedona Method". I have completed the Coach Level-1 and Coach Level-2 Training for this process (including 36 days of on-site seminars, training, and partner work), and have qualified to facilitate the use of the process with others.

In a nut-shell, "The Sedona Method" is a simple process that you can use in real-life, real-time, situations to "let go" of unwanted feelings or emotions that appear to be tied to certain events or situations in our lives and seem to cause discomfort or suffering in us.

So many times we struggle and fight with issues thinking it will keep them at arms length, when in reality all that struggling is just a way of embracing them! We think that fighting with them will solve the "problem" and make it go away ("how's that work'n for ya'" Dr. Phil)...however, all that fighting is actually what keeps it attached to us!

"The Sedona Method" will teach you several "tools" to use to simply "let go" of those unwanted feelings and emotions in the moment, so that if you still need to move to action (because it doesn't mean you have to live with situations that are not mutually beneficial), you will be acting from a much stronger, less re-active, and more Loving (for yourself and others) place.

This is something that many folks are able to do for themselves, either just by watching an Introductory DVD (that you can borrow from me, no charge...or get online just by paying the $5 shipping)...go online at the link below and if it strikes a chord with you, order the book or courses for home-study...or allow me to help you get started, or move beyond the occasional "sticky-place". (I do get some discounts on products, so going through me could save you some money...if that's a perceived issue.)

So, if there are issues in your life that just keep hanging around and sometimes dragging you down...at the very least check out the website and see what you think. (Hale Dowskin is the author and is a hoot to watch!)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Newton's First Law (Law of Inertia)(Let's restate Newton's first law in everyday terms:)

"An object at restwill stay at rest, forever, as long as nothing pushes or pulls on it. An object in motionwill stay in motion, traveling in a straight line, forever, until something pushes or pulls on it."

Okay, remember it now? So what does Newton have to do with Fitness? Well, if you think about it, "bodies" are very "energy efficient" (some folks would say lazy...),and will tend to do only that which is "comfortable" to do (the 'comfortable' part comes from "inertia'). But the reality is, they will tend to continue to do what we have taught them to do. You know, sitting on the couch, crunching down a bag of chips or whatever's left in that half-gallon of ice cream. That is the "stay at rest" part of inertia.

The GREAT NEWS is...that once you decide to start moving again, even just a little bit, you will begin to overcome the "at rest" portion of inertia and begin moving in the direction of the "stay in motion" side, where it becomes easier and easier (more 'comfortable') to stay in motion! Soon you will find it difficult not to be moving...and 'you know what?...your body will be just as happy (if not more so) moving, as it was at rest! And YOU will feel so much stronger, energetic, heathy, as well as physically AND emotionally charged and self-assured, it will carry over into every area of your life!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

It struck me today, just how often I hear clients and others speak of choices they have made..about eating, being consistent in their workouts, faithful to their goals, and many other areas of their lives, as being either "good" or "bad". "Last week I was really 'good' with my food, but the other night I was really "bad"! "I was 'super-good' Monday and Wednesday with my workouts, but Friday I was 'bad'...I was so busy (with my life) that I didn't make time to get to the gym...all I wanted to do was plop down on the couch, I was terrible!"

Listen, I want all of you to begin thinking of your choices in a different way. (I know some of you may have to make "baby-steps" in this area, but I really hope you will do this one thing for yourselves!)

I've mentioned before that it may be helpful to compare your Fitness LifeStyle Plan to a Compass or a GPS, rather than a black and white, point "A" to point "B" is only acceptable outcome, way of thinking.

If you've never seen a GPS in a car operate, it goes something like this: because it communicates with satelites, it knows where you are (I know scarey, huh?)...you enter where you want to go, and the GPS calculates the shortest route to take you there. You begin driving and the GPS will say something like "turn left a half a mile ahead"...so you drive half a mile and turn right! Does the GPS make fun of you or put you down for 'being weak' or 'lacking inner-strength' or any of those things we tend to tell ourselves? Nope, the GPS simply says "recalculating" and gets you right back on track from where you now are.

We all know that beating ourselves up for making choices we later wish we hadn't, never really helps any way!

So let's start looking at our decisions simply as choices we make in the moment, that either take us toward our goals, or that take us temporarily away from our goals...and just start making as many of the "toward ourgoals" choices as we possibly can, given the fact that we have been given human minds and bodies, and that life will always throw challenges our way...as you hear so often today..."life happens"!

I'm just saying...there are always plenty of people out there willing to put you down...just don't let yourself be one of them!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Gonna' make this kinda' short today...but wanted to make a point because you hear this all the time.

When I say that it's the "little changes" over time that can make the difference, consider this case in point:

Recently when consulting with a new client the question came up..."how can just ONE soft drink a day make any difference"?

I took out the calculator and showed her the following figures:

One 12 oz regular soft drink contains (only) 150 calories...I multiplied that times 365days, which adds up to a whopping 54,750 calories a year!

It takes 3,500 calories, (above or below your daily needs), to add or deduct one pound of bodyweight! I divided 3,500 into 54,750 and showed her that just by dropping that onesoft drink each day it was possible to generate a minus 15.64 pounds in one year!

The new client decided, with a smile, that water probably wasn't so bad after all!

It's like compound interest...except this is an investment in your health and fitness!BobbyM

Wow, another great question!I always recommend that before beginning (or re-starting) a health, fitness, weight-loss program your Fitness Professional administer a few basic health, fitness, flexibility assessments, and base-line measurements to get a good idea where their client is starting from. That way your Fitness Pro can help set realistic goals for you, that will also be measurable as you continue your LifeStyle program.

Most basic fitness assessments include:

A health/fitness history questionaire. To help determine your physical readiness to begin a fitness program.

Basic health assessments such as resting pulse rate, blood pressure, and oxygen up-take. This will help identify any possible over-looked issues that need to be addressed by you and your physician.

Your weight will be taken and recorded.

Some method to measure your "body-fat percentage" (calipers, electronic, hydrostatic) is very important! Your body is going to begin changing, and the only way to be sure what is going on ('cause the scales are gonna lie to you!) is by checking in on that body fat percentage from time to time (about every 4-8 weeks...especially in the early parts of your program).

Your body measurements should be taken and recorded including at least the chest, belly, butt, thigh, and arm.

Some basic postural assessments (you know, like rounding shoulders, etc) should be taken to determine if there are structural issues that need to be addressed and possibly corrected as part of your program.

Some basic strength assessments for upper body (push-ups), core (ab crunches), and lower body (squats) will help your Pro "fine-tune" your program by knowing where you are starting so you are not "over-doing", or "under-doing" it!

And flexibiliy assessments, for example hamstrings, will help determine if additional stretching will help any issues you might be experiencing. For example tight hamstrings (behind the legs), which usually come from spending so much time today in a seated position, many times are the actual culprit that causes "low back" discomfort.

These are just the basics that you should expect when you have a Fitness Professional help you get started on a Safe, Effective Fitness Lifestyle.

Then every 4-8 weeks (or sooner if you or your Pro have concerns) it's a good idea to check back in...compare where you are with where you were, and with where you are wanting to go. If you are right on track, great...just get back out there and stay with it! If, however there are areas that are not responding as you and your Pro would like, those specific areas can be addressed, corrected if needed, and then you get back out there!

I really believe these basic assessments are so important that I include them in my package pricing...without them, you are just "shooting in the dark"!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

"Bobby, I have always been very active, yet I have never really eaten right. Now, as my body has aged (mid 40’s), I am finding that things are working as they used to and like a light switch realize I need to change things.My question to you Bobby is, How? How do I change my eating habits. It’s not as easy as just picking the right foods and eating them. What foods are best for what time of the day? Vegetables, meats, fruits? What foods will help me with my exercising and weight lifting? At age 46, what weights do I need to use and how should I use them to make sure I don’t lose muscle mass and bone density. I hope this isn’t too much but you asked. Lol!"

BobbyM:

GREAT QUESTION! (And thanks so much for sharing!)

I've found that the best way to change eating habits is to start small. Making smaller choices makes it simpler, less challenging, and are much easier to live with for the long run. Little changes like cutting back on sugar, and fat intake...read your food labels and make healthier choices between foods with lower sugar and fat levels than what you would normally choose. For example, by choosing 98% fat free sandwich meats...lower fat cheese, milk, salad dressings, etc. Choosing a cereal that maybe has only 2-5 grams of sugar rather than 15, 20, or more. Also choosing 100% whole grain breads and pastas rather than the old standard white breads and pastas. Etc, etc.

A really great place to start is http://www.acefitness.org/calculators/daily-caloric-needs-calculator.aspx this site will give you an estimate of the calories you need each day. Break that down into 3 meals, plus 2-3 snacks...for example, if the daily calorie requirements are 1,800...I would break it down to around 400 kcals per meal (total 1,200) and 200 kcals per snack (total of 600) for a grand total of 1,800 per day.

Try to have about 1/2 your calories from "good" carbohydrates...green vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dark rice, etc. And about 1/3 of your total calories from low fat protein...meats (fish, chicken, pork, beef, turkey, etc), dairy products, or eggs. The rest of the calories can come from fats/oil, but try to limit those to the healthier fats such as olive, kanola, oils...and try to add in some healthy omega3 oils that you can get from nuts like almonds, pecans, and walnuts (these nuts are also great snack sources...and are about 1/2 carbs and 1/2 protein.. with the good oils...but full of calories so don't overdo it!).

What you end up with is REALLY healthy "high-test" fuel in your body ALL DAY LONG...that way you really don't have to be concerned about what to eat for specific activiities...your body will have what it needs, whenever it needs it...and will begin to stop storing up "fuel" in those areas of the body where we don't want it.

I'll try to answer you "weights" questions at another time. :-) BobbyM

Another really great question!And for those days (not for long-term) when you just feel really rushed to get through your workout, I recommend you try the following: If you normally do multiple set (two or more) strength training...bump up your weight a tiny bit (5%-10%) and do just one set using the most-perfect form you can rustle up, breath properly (exhale on exertion, and inhale as you relax), use good tempo of movement (count a full "one, two" on the lift...and a full "one, two, three, four" as you lower the weight), and focus your mind on the muscle(s) you are working. In other words REALLY BE THERE IN THAT MOMENT, WITH THAT EXERCISE, WITH YOUR BODY...then move on to the next exercise. You will be amazed at the results...plus you will finish up a GREAT WORKOUT in half the time (or less)!

Bobby M is considered by his peers, and other Professionals, to be the "go-to" person for questions or concerns about Health and Fitness issues and challenges.

Bobby Morrow

ACE Certified Personal Trainer Lexington, N.C.

Bobby M's Health and Fitness Qualifications:

(1) American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certified Personal Trainer.(2)National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA)Certified Personal Trainer(3) Expert Rating Certified Personal Trainer(4) NESTA Certified Circuit Training Instructor(5) International Fitness Association (IFA) Sports Nutritionist(6) NESTA Certified Functional Training Specialist(7) Approved by AARP to train their Membership(8) AHA Certified CPR and AED Qualified(9) Over 11 years experience Certified in the industry(10) Has helped over 2,000 folks in attaining their goals(11) Member of "Exercise is Medicine"(12) National Spokesman for The American Council on Exercise (ACE)(13) Member of the IDEA Health and Fitness Association